Updates week 33, 2004

This digest contains all Aviation Safety Network database additions and (significant) updates for this week.

To check out the full 1945-2003 airliner accident database, visit http://aviation-safety.net/database/.
This digest contains all new accidents that were added to the ASN Accident Database and all entries that were updated with newer information. Changes in the following fields were monitored: Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Casualties, Remarks, Safety actions for changes.

HULL-LOSS ACCIDENTS 2004

Update: New addition to the database

11 AUG 2004 Boeing 737-2R6B 3X-GCB ? (22627/779)

Air Guinee Express
0 (8) + 0 (119) = 0(127)
5 km from Freetown-Lungi International Airport (FNA) (Sierra Leone)
Flight Freetown-Lungi International Airport (FNA) - Conakry Airport (CKY) Takeoff International Scheduled Passenger
________________________________________________________________________
Air Guinee Express' morning flight to Conakry and Banjul was reportedly delayed due to bad weather. Thunderstorms were still present in the area as the airplane prepared for departure. On take-off something went wrong, causing the 737 to end up in a swamp three miles past the 10498 feet / 3200 m long runway 12/30.

13 AUG 2004 Convair CV-580 N586P (68)

Air Tahoma
1 (2) + 0 (0) = 1(2)
1 km S of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, OH (CVG) (United States of America)
Flight Memphis International Airport, TN (MEM) - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, OH (CVG) Approach Cargo
________________________________________________________________________
The Convair, owned by Air Tahoma, was carrying overnight delivery packages under contract to DHL Worldwide Express. It was on a visual approach to runway 36R at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport when the pilot reported engine trouble. The aircraft crashed on the sixth hole at the World of Sports golf course, just south of the airport and broke up.

Update: UE

04 FEB 2004 Ilyushin 18D EX-005 (188011105)

Expo Aviation
0 (7) + 0 (0) = 0(7)
Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) (Sri Lanka)
Flight Dubai Airport (DXB) - Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) Landing Cargo
________________________________________________________________________
The Ilyushin cargo plane operated on a flight from Dubai to Colombo. The airplane was operated by Phoenix Aviation and chartered by Expo Aviation. Using GPS and DME the airplane approached Colombo. The approach controller cleared flight 3002 to descend to FL150. After reaching that altitude the navigator passed on the QNH and QFE values for Colombo: 1009 mb and 756 mm Hg. The altimeters were updated with this information. However, the copilot erroneously programmed 765 mm Hg into the altimeter. After turning left onto finals the aircraft, 14 km from the runway, descended to an altitude above sea level of 60 metres. The airplane descended slowly until the landing gear contacted the surface of the sea at a distance of 10,7 km short of runway 04. Climb power was applied and the navigator reported that they were going around: "PHG 3-0-0-2 go around, again I call you established localizer". At a height of 60-90 metres however, the captain decided to continue the approach. Assuming the undercarriage had been substantially damaged, he decided to carry out a belly landing on the side of the runway. Touchdown was accomplished 50 metres to the right of the runway and 450 metres passed the threshold. The aircraft skidded and came to rest 2230 metres further on. The Ilyushin was away and parked in a corner of the airport, where it was still noted in May 2004.

Update: UE

04 MAR 2004 Ilyushin 76MD UR-ZVA (0063468036)

Azov-Avia Airlines
3 (7) + 0 (0) = 3(7)
near Baku Airport (BAK) (Azerbaijan)
Flight Baku Airport (BAK) - Kabul Airport (KBL) Initial climb Cargo
________________________________________________________________________
The Ilyushin freighter departed Ankara, Turkey for a cargo flight to Kabul, Afghanistan. In Ankara the airplane was loaded with 39980 kg of cargo. The next stop was Baku, Azerbaijan for refueling. The airplane tok 47 tons fo fuel, bringing the takeoff weight to 189 tons, and the centre of gravity to 29,3% MAC, which was within the prescribed limits. During the eight-hour stopover the crew decided to rest in the aircraft instead of a hotel. As the aircraft started taxiing to the runway the flight engineer was heard saying that he would select the flaps at 30 degrees and slats at 14 degrees for takeoff. This however was not done. Prior to takeoff the position of the flaps was not verified by any of the crew members. Takeoff was thus commenced with flaps and slats retracted and the stabilizer trimmed at the takeoff position -4 degrees (corresponding to actual takeoff weight, CofG and flaps at 30 ). At a speed of 210 km/h the pilot pulled on the control column to lift off the nose gear. At a calculated unstick speed of 265 km/h the angle of attack reached 9 degrees but the plane did not lift off the runway. Accelerating through 290 km/h the angle of attack of the aircraft reached 14,5 degrees, setting off the angle of attack warning on the flight deck. Some 1750 metres down the runway, the aft fuselage struck the runway. Seventy metres further on, at a speed of 300 km/h and an angle of attack of 19,4 , the Ilyushin lifted off the runway. The air traffic controller who witnessed the departure advised the crew to abort the takeoff, but the captain apparently continued. The airplane rolled to the left until the wing contacted the runway. Then the flight engineer noted his error and, without informing the captain, began extending the flaps and slats. Again without informing the captain, the flight engineer brought back the power levers of the four engines to idle. After three seconds he moved them from idle to the 'engine shutdown' position. The captain three times yelled "takeoff" but the engines were already shut down. After flying for 490 metres the aircraft struck the ground and crashed.

Update: UE

02 JUL 2004 IAI 1124 Westwind N280AT (247)

Air Trek
2 (2) + 4 (4) = 6(6)
Panama City-Tocumen International Airport (PTY) (Panama)
Flight Panama City-Tocumen International Airport (PTY) - Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD) Takeoff Ambulance
________________________________________________________________________
The air ambulance plane was transporting two Italian patients from Quito, Ecuador for medical treatment to Washington and Milan. A refueling stop was made in Panama. After refueling, the airplane was started and taxied to runway 3L. After lifting off the runway it reportedly pitched up vertically, the nose then lowered, and the wings rocked side to side. The airplane veered right with a 90-degree bank and impacted the ground on taxiway Hotel. The right wing and right engine separated from the fuselage. The airplane rolled onto it's back, collapsing the vertical stabilizer. The main fuselage, left wing, and left engine continued across a grass field, where it struck an airport worker, and impacted a concrete wall. The airplane continued through the wall, and came to rest inverted inside an empty building - the former Evergreen International hangar.

After leveling off at 5,500 feet msl, the crew noticed that the right engine cylinder head temperature and oil temperature was about 10 degrees above normal. Shortly after, both pilots noticed a sharp decrease in the right engine brake mean effective pressure followed by vibration in the engine. A fire started around the front lower cylinders. The captain feathered the right engine propeller, pulled the Emergency handleand fired the main and reserve fire extinguishing bottles. The fire however had extended to the whole front of the engine cylinders. The burning engine fell off the plane's wing and the crew prepared for a ditching. During the emergency landing one of the wings broke off and the airplane sank into 1,000 feet of water. The co-pilot was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. The captain was declared missing and had not been found after a full day of searching.

Update: UE

13 JUL 2004 Learjet 35A N829CA (459)

Aviation Jet Charters
0 (2) + 0 (2) = 0(4)
Nevis-Newcastle Airport (NEV) (St. Kitts and Nevis)
Flight Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport (SXM) - Nevis-Newcastle Airport (NEV) Landing Ambulance
________________________________________________________________________
The Learjet was operating on an air ambulance flight from Sint Maarten to St. Kitts and Nevis. During the visual approach to runway 10 winds were reported 090 degrees at 16 knots. The pilot was holding Vref 125 plus 10 knots on final. The approach was normal until a downdraft on short final was experienced. The airplane sank and engine power was immediately advanced with an increase in pitch, but the airplane continued to sink. The airplane's main landing gear came in contact with the top of the barbwire fencing at the approach end of the runway. The airplane landed hard, just short of the threshold. The airplane was taxied to the ramp where a close-up examination revealed the left engine, flaps and both lower wing areas incurred substantial damage.

HULL-LOSS ACCIDENTS prior to 2004

Update: UEP

20 OCT 1989 Ilyushin 76TD CCCP-76466 (0023440153)

Aeroflot / Central Region
10 (10) + 15 (15) = 25(25)
near Leninakan (Armenia)
Flight Ulyanovsk Airport (ULY) - Leninakan Airport (LWN) Approach Cargo
________________________________________________________________________
The Ilyushin 76 cargo plane departed Ulyanovsk on a training/cargo flight to Leninakan. The aircraft carried a cargo of 37200 kg. Approaching Leninakan the flight was cleared to descend to 3300 metres. During the descent the approach controller reported the airport pressure being 637 mm Hg. After issueing a further clearance down to 1100 metres, the controller corrected the airport pressure to 637 mm Hg. Erroneously the crew programmed their barometric altimeters using 736 instead of 636 mm Hg, causing a difference in altitude indication of about 1100 metres. Descent was continued at a vertical speed of 10 m/sec. At a height of 270 metres the GPWS alarm began to sound and continued to 19 seconds. Then the flight engineer suddenly informedthe captain of the mistake, but no corrective action was taken. Ten seconds later the aircraft crashed into a mountain.

PROBABLE CAUSE:

- error by the crew in programming both barometric altimeters using the 736 mm Hg pressure instead of the actual 636 mm Hg causing a descent below MDA;

- failure of the crew to respond to the recommendation by the flight engineer to climb;

Factors were:

- the fact that it was the instructor captain's first flight into Leninakan and the student pilot's (in the right hand seat) first flight on an Il-76;

- insufficient crew resource management;

- insufficient training of pilots regarding the actions to be taken in case of a GPWS warning

Update: UEP

13 JUL 2002 Antonov 24RV RA-46670 (47309601)

Sakhaavia
0 (4) + 0 (0) = 0(4)
Yakutsk Airport (YKS) (Russia)
Flight Yakutsk Airport (YKS) - Yakutsk Airport (YKS) Landing Training
________________________________________________________________________
The Antonov departed Yakutsk on a crew training flight. Two approach and landins were carried out using flap settings of 38 and 15 degrees. During the third approach the captain called for lowering of the landing gear. The flight engineer moved the landing gear handle from neutral into the "retract" position. He did not check for three greens so failed to notice his mistake. Then the captain requested the flaps to be selected at 10 degrees. The Antonov turned to finals, but the crew did not carry out the final approach checks and continued after having obtained landing clearance. Fourteen seconds before touchdown an air traffic controller informed the crew that they should go around because the landing gear was not down. The captain did not hear this because at that moment height and speed were called out by the flight engineer. Five seconds later the controller repeated his warning. One of the crew members heard the call and noticed three reds on the instrument panel. He informed that captain about this, but it was already too late. The captain added takeoff power, but within three seconds the tail struck the runway. The airplane skidded about 1000 metres before coming to rest.

Belly landing, causing substantial damage. Presumably written off.

The accident was caused by the combination of a.o. the following factors:

- the erroneous actions of the flight engineer when trying to lower the landing gear;

- failure of the flight crew to conduct the necessary (final approach) checks;

- the failure by the crew to check and respond to landing gear warning indications;

- the execution of a flight with an incomplete composition of crew, causing additional work load on the flight engineer during the approach (height and speed call outs);

- on the Yak-40 the landing gear handle moves to the opposite direction for retraction and lowering compared to the Antonov 24 (the flight mechanic had more, and recent, flight experience on the Yakovev 40 jet);

- the large work load (fatigue) of the crew during the recent six days before the incident.

Update: UEP

29 AUG 2002 Antonov 28 RA-28932 (1AJ008-19)

Vostok Aviakompania
2 (2) + 14 (14) = 16(16)
4,8 km SW of Ayan (Russia)
Flight Polina Osipenko - Ayan Approach Domestic Scheduled Passenger
________________________________________________________________________
Flight 359 departed Khabarovsk on a passenger flight to Ayan with an intermediate stop at Polina Osipenko. Weather at the destination was reported fine as the crew decided to takeoff from Polina Osipenko. However, weather quickly worsened. The controllers which were in contact with the flight did not have this information, so the crew were unaware of inclement weather in the Ayan area. After contacting the Ayan approach controller the crew were told that the visibility was 5000 metres but that the fog was closing in rapidly. Important meteorological information (cloud base, visibility, RVR) was not available at that moment and thus not relayed to the crew as they were conducting their initial approach. The Antonov descended at an average vertical rate of descent of about 7 m/s. It reached an altitude of 800 metres at a point were it should have been at 950 metres. The crew then made a premature turn to finals. Starting at an altitude of 660 metres (instead of 950) the aircraft during the turn entered into stratus clouds, passing into the fog with the horizontal visibility approximately 50 m. It descended to 320 metres on completion of the turn, having deviated 2,3 km to the right of the exended runway centreline. Instead of aborting the approach, the captain decided to continue. At a height of 188 metres the aircraft collided with the slope of a mountain with a height of 226,4 m.
The aircraft was attempting it's second approach in fog when it struck a cliff 10 meters below the top at a distance of 4.8km from the runway, ripping off one wing and the undercarriage. The fuselage and the other wing continued for about 100 meters and crashed in the valley 85 meters below.

The accident was caused by a combination of a.o. the following factors:

- failure of the crew to get a current weather report for Ayan (theirs was one hour old) and a current weather report for the alternate airport;

- failure of the crew to keep the established approach pattern and failure to abort the approach after failing to establish visiual contact with the runway below decision height;

- absence of interaction between the air traffic controller and meteorological observer at Ayan a times when aircraft are approaching in the adverse weather conditions

NON HULL-LOSS ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS

Update: New addition to the database

07 AUG 2004 Avro RJ.85 D-AVRO (E.2246)

Lufthansa
0 () + 0 () = 0(56)
Graz-Thalerhof Airport (GRZ) (Austria)
Flight Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) - Graz-Thalerhof Airport (GRZ) Landing International Scheduled Passenger
________________________________________________________________________
Lufthansa City-Line flight 5386 departed Frankfurt for a flight to Graz. With the co-pilot at the controls (PF), the airplane suffered a total failure of primary controls (ailerons and elevators). The captain took over control and decoupled the controls. It appeared that the ailerons and elevator were now working again on his side. After holding near Graz for a while, the captain carried out an emergency landing.

Update: New addition to the database

09 AUG 2004 Avro RJ.100 HB-IXU (E.3276)

Swiss International Air Lines
0 (5) + 0 (51) = 0(56)
41 km NE of Frankfurt (Germany)
Flight Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport (AMS) - Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH) En route International Scheduled Passenger
________________________________________________________________________
Swiss Flight 725 departed Amsterdam at 10:01 for a flight to Zürich. Near Frankfurt one of the aircraft's four engines suffered an uncontained failure. One of the engine covers separated, striking another engine. Both engines were shut down and a safe emergency landing was carried out at Frankfurt.